The present invention relates to a clear, calciumfortified, acidic beverage to be used to provide dietary calcium supplementation.
Calcium deficiencies have been noted as a major health problem, particularly for women. Osteoporosis, an accelerated bone loss, can occur when the body is deficient in calcium. During a period of calcium deficiency, calcium that is needed for various body functions can be retrieved from bones and thereby prevent bone remodeling. Premenopausal adult women require about 1,000 milligrams of calcium per day (based on recommendations by the 1984 NIH Consensus Development Panel on Osteoporosis). Younger women, particularly pregnant and lactating women and post-menstrual women may require more. Further, adequate calcium intake before age 35 may lessen the effect of osteoporosis in later life.
One of the major sources of available calcium for dietary purposes is dairy products. Since fluid milk provides about 300 milligrams calcium per 240 milliliter (8 ounce) serving, the consumption of approximately 6/7 of a liter of milk would be necessary to provide the present minimum recommended amounts of calcium. As this amount of milk can be overbearing, it has been proposed to enrich the milk with a source of dietary calcium to reduce the amount of fluid intake needed to achieve a specific level of calcium supplement. However, many of the very people who need the calcium do not like the taste of milk. A calcium enriched milk is not the answer for those people. Further, due to lactose intolerance, milk may not be a practical source of calcium for some people.
Those who cannot tolerate milk can increase their calcium intake by the use of tablets or capsules of calcium salts such as calcium carbonate. However, since the consumption of beverages other than milk, such as soft drinks, is common in everyday life, it would be desirable to develop a beverage which can be consumed as soft drinks, particularly by people who cannot tolerate milk.
Calcium enhancement of dairy products can be readily achieved by incorporating insoluble calcium salts in the milk. The use of a suspending agent can prevent the insoluble compound from settling. Due to the opaque nature of the milk, the suspended calcium salts are hidden. Further, suspending agents can change the consistency of the milk and the insoluble calcium salts can affect mouth feel. However, such leeway is not present in clear beverages.
Because a number of popular beverages are clear citrus or cola drinks are acidic, it would be desirable to develop a clear calcium fortified acidic beverage that could be utilized in the same manner as beverages commonly in use. Contrary to milk, a clear beverage must be storage stable for long periods of time and not evidence any clouding or precipitation after pasteurization and various heating/cooling cycles. Cola beverages which are characterized by a lower pH may form a more suitable base for calcium orthophosphates which are soluble only below pH 3. Milk systems are not as critical inasmuch as the opacity of the milk masks any clouding caused by the calcium salt.
Because most of the calcium in the diet is excreted or lost in the urine and in perspiration, only about 20 percent of the calcium may be available for retaining the calcium balance in plasma and tissues and in bone remodeling. Therefore, any calcium fortified clear beverage must contain sufficient calcium to provide the amount needed for body functions and bone remodeling after losses.
Numerous calcium supplements are presently available on the market. Calcium carbonate, calcium lactate, calcium gluconate and calcium glubionate are commonly used. Calcium carbonate has 40 percent calcium and is generally available in tablet form. Calcium lactate has 13 percent calcium and calcium gluconate has 9 percent calcium. Calcium glubionate is used as the calcium source in a calcium supplemental syrup for infants. Calcium gluconate is available as an injectable solution. The amount of calcium compound present in a tablet does not present the problems which arise in formulating a liquid beverage, particularly one that is clear and storage stable. In using compounds with low calcium contents, larger amounts must be dissolved in the beverage to attain a high level of calcium fortification. The prior art does not teach one of ordinary skill in the art the method of preparing a calcium-fortified acidic liquid, clear beverage.
It would be hghly desirable to formulate a non-dairy acidic liquid calcium supplement which is clear and palatable and which does not develop aftertaste nor precipitate upon standing.